Will you Believe?

Don't worry.
Instead.  
Talk to God about every problem.  
Every challenge.  
Every circumstance.  
EVERYTHING.
Ask Him for what you need.

Let your heart overflow with gratitude, for the goodness of God, for His supremacy, for his power, for his extravagant love, for for his overflowing gifts, and abounding mercy.

And we will be protected.

The peace of God, which goes far beyond human understanding will create a great wall of protection around your heart and mind.

Worry can't enter.

Fear can't enter.

Lies can't enter.

Unbelief and doubt can't enter.

You are FULLY PROTECTED as long as you continue to believe.

Continue to trust.

Continue to pray.

Continue to rest in the power of the Master,

and continue to submit in humble obedience to our Supreme King.

He will do a great work,

an unbelievable work if only we believe.

Jesus said to Martha: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (She believed that Jesus was too late to help her brother Lazarus.)

Jesus told Martha to have the stone removed. Martha's response to Jesus' command was,

“But Lord...” (What's your, “But, Lord...”?)

It had been too long. His body was decaying. It's too late. It's beyond repair. She believed he could have kept lazarus from dying and she knew he would be resurrected in the last days, but to resurrect him now that he's been dead 4 days... That was a bit much. That didn't even seem like a possible option.

And yet...

Jesus continued to press her. “Will you believe?”

So Martha allowed them to move the stone. She chose to believe though her heart was full of doubt.

Faith is moving forth in what God says even when our minds are full of doubt. Even when we have a million unanswered questions. Even when all logic says, “There's no way!”

It's an attitude that says”

“This is crazy”

“I'm not sure about this, but I trust you.”

Martha knew and loved Jesus. She knew Jesus loved her, her sister and Lazarus. She had no doubt that Jesus loved them. That is where she rested her hope.

So Jesus called forth Lazarus from the grave, and the unbelievable happened. He came out. Whole and alive.

I wonder what would have happened if Martha had chosen to be practical?

Our God doesn't call us to be practical. He calls us to believe. What's more practical and sensible than to believe the Supreme Ruler of the Universe? The One who CANNOT lie because he is truth. The One who loves us perfectly and lavishly. The One who's wisdom has NO BOUNDS.

Why would we trust anyone or anything besides Him?

Setting the Stage

So I'm setting the stage for my glorious God
Getting all eyes ready
Getting hearts ready
I'm not the star of this show
But the star is on the way
Are you ready?
It's going to be so good
When He shows up
You'll be amazed
Delighted
and filled with wonder
Oh His beauty will overwhelm you
The joy He brings will bubble up and overflow
You will tickle all over with laughter
Your heart will be filled
bursting with hope
Oh it will be so good
Are you ready?
I'm setting the stage for the Glorious One
He's getting ready to appear
I know you're getting antsy
Everyone stay in your seats
You don't want to miss this
He's coming soon
he's getting ready to open up the windows of Heaven
His vast treasure store
He's getting ready to rescue
To provide
To comfort
To solve unsolvable problems
To break the unbreakable
To answer the cries
of the helpless
of the hopeless
of the desperate
of the heartbroken
of the forgotten
of those held captive
You see all these challenges set the stage
Are you ready?
He's coming
Don't miss out on this
Sit on the edge of your seat
with eager expectation
He's getting ready to appear
I'm just one of His servants
preparing the way
for His coming
Get ready
Are you excited yet?
Are you like a little kid on christmas morning?
Unable to sleep because you know something good is coming?

I am.

He's coming
soon!

Transcendent God

The Holy Spirit has been speaking so powerfully to my heart lately. Though my body is weak, and tired. Though my knowledge and understanding is limited. Though my time is limited. Though I lack many abilities. HE IS ABLE to use this fragile, weak, frail and "dis-abled" person in order to accomplish His magnificent purposes.

He is a God who transcends our limitations! He's placed His transcendent, Mighty power in these fragile earthen vessels, so that we might know it's Him, and NOT us.

It is through the Spirit of the Living God that we are able to live beyond the limitations of this body.

It is through the Spirit that we experience fullness of life.

It is through the Spirit that we experience peace, though our life's circumstances may be chaotic and crazy.

It is through the Spirit that we experience freedom, though we may be behind prison walls, or imprisoned in our own body through disability, imprisoned to live in a highly dysfunctional family or trapped by some other hindrance outside of our control.

It is through the Spirit that we live as wealthy sons and daughters of the King, though we may live in poverty, debt, or other need.

It is through the Spirit that we are pure, perfect, holy, and righteous though we still struggle with sin daily.

It is through the Spirit that we experience love to the very depths of our souls, though we may not have family or friends that love us.

It is through the Spirit that we experience healing, though our bodies may be filled with cancer, chronic disease, or other illnesses.

It is through the Spirit that we are made wise, though we may be uneducated, illiterate, and dumb.

It is through the Spirit that we are full of incomparable power, though we may have no position or influence in society or we may have bodies that strain to pick up a grain of rice.

It is through the Spirit that we have hope, when there seems to be no hope.

It's a mysterious and wonderful process that cannot be completely understood or explained. We need only to believe in order that this perfectly full life, might be experienced in a world that is FAR less than perfect. We're not doomed by life's circumstances, our own abilities, or our resources. All of His gifts transcend circumstances and abilities.

So we live by faith and not by what we see.

Here are some truths to ponder as you seek to live beyond your limitations.

..The Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. Romans 8:26

For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom 2 Corithians 3:17

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Ephesians 1:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

2 peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature,having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil 3:20-21

Believe in Yourself?

I just realized something.  It goes along with my last post.  I trust in my perceptions more than I trust God.  I trust what I see, what I feel, what I hear, what I think, more than God's word.  Why do I do that?  It seems foolish as I ponder it.  How many times have I misinterpreted what I see?  How many times have I misunderstood what someone has said?  How many times have I misheard someone, or come to the wrong conclusion?  MANY TIMES!!!!!  Yet I still have faith in ME.  (I'm hearing the song: Believe in yourself as I believe in you... lyrics @ the end of the post) I say to myself, "God I don't know if your word is really true for me, because I see something different and I trust my eyes more than your words."  Well... I don't really say that, but my actions communicate it.

Have you done that as well?

God promises that He will NEVER leave nor forsake us.  But their are times when I feel forsaken and left by God.  And I ask the question, "God where are you?"  (Don't get me wrong, God wants us to be open about our feelings, so if you feel that way, ask the question.)  At that moment, what I feel takes precedence over what God has said.  I believe He's left me, because I don't FEEL his presence.  So I'm trusting in my feelings rather than His words.

His words are trustworthy, not my feelings.
He is trustworthy.

He promises to meet ALL OF MY NEEDS.  I don't need to spend one second worrying about needs.  But I worry all of the time about needs.  Why?  Because it doesn't look like my needs are being met. I don't know how my needs will be met.  The provision I have doesn't look like enough, so I worry or try to "figure it out".  Most times I do both.  Worry, pray and try to figure it out on my own.  Rather than resting in His promises.  If He said he would provide, I can trust Him.  Then I'm free to do His work:  seeking the kingdom and His righteousness.  When I trust Him, I can thank Him with the "not enough", and the "not on time" (not on my time), and the "not the way I expect".

I can trust that His ways are always perfect.
He's always acts at the proper time.
He's moving, even when I don't perceive anything.
He CANNOT fail.
He loves me for more than I can ever imagine.
He always brings about the HIGHEST good in my life.
He has the full capacity to execute every one of His promises.  In fact, it's easy for Him!
I cannot figure Him out or what He's doing, but I can trust His heart.  He loves me.

No more believing in ME, for I fail myself and others over and over and over and over again.  (At least, I'm consistent. ) But He NEVER fails me.   Instead...

I think I'll Believe the Words of the Most High God.

The song sums up the lie of believing in yourself quite well.  Have you believed these lies as well?

Believe in Yourself

(charlie smalls)

If you believe
Within your heart
You’ll know that no one can change
The path that you must go
Believe what you feel
And know you’re right because
The time will come around
When you’ll say it’s yours

Believe that you can go home
Believe you can float on air
Then click your heels three times
If you believe
Then you’ll be there
That’s why I want you to
Believe in yourself
Right from the start
Believe in the magic
Right there in your heart
Go ahead believe all these things
Not because I told you to
But believe in yourself
If you believe in yourself
Just believe in yourself
As I believe in you 

No thank you.  I'll believe God instead.